First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
overtake
verb over·take \ˌō-vər-ˈtāk\
: to move up to and past (someone or something that is in front of you) by moving faster
: to go past another vehicle that is moving more slowly in the same direction
: to happen to or affect (someone) in a sudden and unexpected way
over·took\-ˈtu̇k\over·tak·en\-ˈtā-kən\over·tak·ing
Full Definition of OVERTAKE
transitive verb
1
a : to catch up with b : to catch up with and pass by
2
: to come upon suddenly
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See overtake defined for kids
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Origin of OVERTAKE
Middle English, from 1over + taken to take
Related to OVERTAKE
- Synonyms
- catch, catch up (with), overhaul
Rhymes with OVERTAKE
aerobrake, bellyache, coaster brake, coffee break, coral snake, double take, garter snake, give-and-take, Great Bear Lake, Great Salt Lake, griddle cake, halterbreak, johnnycake, kittiwake, make-or-break, marble cake, microquake, patty-cake, plumber's snake, put-and-take, rattlesnake, Reindeer Lake, silver hake, station break, stomachache, undertake, wapentake, water snake, wedding cake, wideawake
OVERTAKE Defined for Kids
overtake
verb over·take \ˌō-vər-ˈtāk\
over·took \-ˈtu̇k\over·tak·en \-ˈtā-kən\over·tak·ing
Definition of OVERTAKE for Kids
1
: to catch up with and often pass <I overtook the runner ahead.>
2
: to come upon or happen to suddenly or without warning <One night we were overtaken by a snow-storm while still a mile from the village … — Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee>
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